


Coffee and Slice

by reinadefuego



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Australia, Community: fic_promptly, Ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-30 21:02:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20103577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reinadefuego/pseuds/reinadefuego
Summary: The warmth of autumn had slowly but surely been leeched away. It was as if Mother Nature had given them the finger.Written for "Pacific Rim, Chuck, Australian winters" at fic_promptly.





	Coffee and Slice

Chuck knew he had to go out there, had to be the one to get off his arse and lead the way. The fact was in these conditions there wasn't anyone else who'd do it. Despite the fact they were all jaeger pilots, most of them were now acting like a bunch of sooks.

During the last fortnight of May, the warmth of autumn had slowly but surely been leeched away. It was as if Mother Nature had given them the finger for all their whinging and bitching during summer about it being _too hot_.

Then winter came, and faster than anyone could've predicted, the city of Sydney turned into a cold wet windy hell during the first few days of June. Nature was now delivering the kind of rain one would expect up north during wet season or down south in Melbourne, flooding streets and causing problems for just about everyone, and it appeared to be going nowhere.

He tugged his skivvy on over his singlet, all the while making sure the singlet stayed in place, and opted not to care about what the other blokes would say if they saw him. Outside, it was as if someone had left the taps running. Rain was bucketing down from dark grey clouds, the wind was up over forty kays an hour, and the Bureau of Meteorology had warned for potential hail.

The funny thing was, no one would've cared if he said 'stuff it' and hung around inside, but the longer the boys went without their coffee, the crankier they got.

On top of the washing basket he found a red flanno shirt that looked clean enough and quickly finished getting dressed before slipping his waterproof parka on over it. All he had to do was leave the building, run across the barracks to the cafe towards the rear of the complex, ask for the usual, and eventually the boys would rock up behind him grumbling their thank yous.

"Oi," Chuck called out as he left his room and headed for the main entrance of the brownstone dormitory, "youse want coffee?"

Their replies were immediate. "Yeah," one of the corporals said. Another waved two fingers in acknowledgment and said, "cheers, mate."

Good, so did he.

His dad, on the other hand, smiled and held up a blue ten dollar note from where he sat on one of the couches. "Long Black for me, kiddo, and grab us a bucket of chips, will you? Oh, and a battered sav."

He gave the old man a withering look before taking the cash and shoving it in his pocket. "I don't know how you eat that shit."

"It's simple." Hercules grinned. Every time Chuck said that, he replied with the exact same answer. "Stick it in my gob and eat it."

It was just another day at the barracks, Chuck told himself. Better working as a pilot than being stuck in some bum desk job that could land him fifty grand a year.

"Anyone want to tag along?"

"No, we're right." Hercules waved him off. "Have fun, mate!"

Chuck rolled his eyes and slid the hood of his parka on before stepping outside. He looked towards the footy oval that sat just metres from their door, now soaked by rain and slick with mud, and smiled. At least he wasn't one of the poor bastards who'd be doing drills in the morning.

"Least it's not snowing," he muttered, lingering beneath the awning for a moment longer. _Just think of the coffee, Chuck. A hot Flat White and a vanilla slice._"Yet."


End file.
